Needle straightening machine and method



' April 25, 1933. I w. J, RICKEY ET AL NEEDLE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nov. 19, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4.

Jwwwbczo Walter J. Rickey and fill am fivendalc April 25, 1933. w. J. RICKEY ET m. 1,906,101

NEEDLE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nbv. 1/9, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 9. wn 44 April 25, 1933. w. J. RICKEY El AL NEEDLE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nov. 19, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 25, 1933.

w. J. RICKEY ET AL 1,906,101

NEEDLE 'STRAIGHTENING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Nov. 9, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 flwwwbaca l6. Walier um/ F q and William Iivendalc Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER JOSIAH RICKEY, OF HELENSBURGH, AND WILLIAM TIVENDALE, OF CLYDE- BANK, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNOR-S TO THE ELIZABETH, N EW' JERSEY,

SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY NEEDLE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE AND METHOD Application filed November 19, 1930, Serial No. 496,650, and in Great Britain December 30, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of straightening needles, and is more particularly concerned with methods of and machines for straightening sewing machine needles in which the tempered needles are conveyed mechanically from a feeding station to a hammering station or stations.

An object of the invention is to reduce the liability to breakage of the needles when being hammered.

Another object is to reduce the wear on the faces of the hammers and anvils.

Broadly, the novelty of the invention .con-

sists in the provision of means for heating the needles preparatory to or during the hammering operation.

The invention may be applied to machines of various types as exemplified for instance in the prior Patents Nos. 1,125,706 and 1,164,683 in which the feeding and hammering operations are effected mechanically, but is also applicable to machines in which the feeding or hammering operation or both op erations are effected manually.

A machine to which the invention is applied will thus include a conveyor adapted to con vey the needles from a feeding station to a hammering station and a heating device interposed in the path of the needles between the feeding station and said hammering station or at said hammering station.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 and 2 are, respectively, a fragmentary plan view of the feed end and a part end elevation part transverse section of a needle-straightening machine of the multi-hammer screw-conveyor type equipped with a needle-heating device according to the invention; Figs. 3, l and 5 are, respectively, a plan view, a front elevation, and an end elevation, drawn to a larger scale, of a casing for an electrical heating cartridge; Figs. 6 and 7 are, respectively, an end elevation and a side elevation drawn to the same scale as Figs. 3-5 showing a carrier bracket for the heating device; Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views of automatic needle-feeding means, Fig. 8 being a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 9, Fig. 9 a section substantially on the line 99 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.; Figs. 11 and 12 are, respectively, a plan view and a vertical section showing the application of the inven' tion to a needle-straightening machineof the single-hammer type; Fig. 13 is a more or less diagrammatic plan view showing the invention applied to a mechanical screw-conveyor associated with a manual 'hammering stationc; Figs. 14, 15, and 16 are, respectively, a plan view, a front elevation, and anend elevation showing a modification in which the needles are heated at the hammering station.

Referring to Figs. 17 of the drawings, the needle-straightening machine in question comprises parallel conveyor screws 1,'2 which are caused to rotate at equal speeds in opposite directions, to which screws the needles 3 are fed manually or automatically at 5 (Fig. 1), and by which screws the needles are traversed laterally in the direction indi cated by the arrow A (Fig. 1) past a series of hammering stations where they are sub jected to successive hammering operations. The first hammer of the series is indicated at 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in accordance with the invention, there is interposed in the path ofthe needles 3 between the feeding station 5 and the first hammering station 4 adjacent to and in parallel with the screw 2 a needle-heating device including an elongated hollow metallic casing 6 of goodconducting metal, such as copper, chromiumplated or not, and of substantially squarecross-section. The casing 6 presents a flat upper face 6 adapted to be traversed by the blades of the needles. Housed within. the casing 6 is a heating element in the form of a cylindrical cartridge 7 having a horizontal axis and enclosing resistance wire indicated conventionally at 8 and connected by way of insulated conductors 9, 10 to a source of electric current, there being included in the circuita rheostat 11 regulatable to determine the working temperature of the heating element which is preferably thermostatically cont-rolled.

. The arrangement is such that, as the needles move from the feeding station 5 towards the first hammering station 4, their blades traverse and contact with the hot face 6" of the casing 6 and are heated by conduction.

As shown best in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, in order to prevent overheating of the points of the needles, there is formed in the face 6 of the heater casing 6 along the upper longitudinal edge remote from the screw 2 a recess 12 which is overhung as shown in Fig. 2 by the points of the needles as they traverse the face 6.

To prevent destruction by overheating of the needles in contact with the heater casing when the machine is stopped, the heater is movable out of the path of the needles to the position shown in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 2. To this end the heater casing 6 is attached by screw 13 to a carrier 14 movable transversely of the conveyor screws 1, 2 by means of a push-rod 15 provided with a hand-knob 15 by manipulation of which the heater casing may be displaced, the push-rod 15 being guided for horizontal sliding movement in a bracket 16 secured to the machine bed 17. Secured to the bracket 16 is a spring detent 18 engageable with a notch 19 in the push-rod 16 in the operative position of the heater.

' A screw and slot connection 13, 20 between the carrier 14 and the heater casing permits of vertical adjustment of the heater casing relatively to the needle path.

21 (Fig. 2) denotes a vertically adjustable rest-bar interposed between the screws 1, 2 and serving to support the shanks of the needles while maintaining the needles substantially at the level of the axis of the screw 1. To cause the needles to roll over the face 6 of the heater casing there is provided, overlying the rest-bar 21, opposite the heater, a depending spring-supported pressure-bar 22 to the lower face 23 of which is applied a layer of rubber or other frictional material engageable with the shanks of the needles and serving to impose a frictional drag on the top sides of the needle shanks so as to insure rotation of the needles as they traverse the face 6'.

For automatic feeding of the needles on to the conveyor screws there is provided at the feeding end of the screws needle-feeding means adapted to deposit the needles one at a time on the conveyor screws 1, 2, said means being fully disclosed in the prior Patent No. 1,625.691 and comprising generally,

(Figs. 8, 9 and 10) a needle-receiving hopper 38 from which needles are fed one at a time, to the screws 1, 2 by a rotary needle-delivery barrel 40 onrnalled at the bottom of the hopper and constituting the hopper base. The barrel 40 is formed with peripheral grooves or pockets 41 for reception of the shanks of needles 3 the blades of which are sustained by a fixed sleeve 42 coaxial with the barrel 40. Secured to the lower edge of one of the inclined side walls 43 of the hopper is a curved guard-plate 44 which partially surrounds the barrel 40 and confines the needles within the pockets 41 during their movements to the delivery point. To ensure that the needles are delivered from the pockets 41 at the proper time there is provided a stripperplate 45 secured to the lower edge of the other inclined wall 43 of the hopper and having a nose 46 which projects into a circumferential groove 47 provided. in the barrel 40. It will be understood that, when the needles are deflected from the barrel 40, the shanks thereof are deposited on the rest-bar 21 with the blades of the needles overlying the screw 2. 48, 49 denotes two pairs of needle pressure-bars which traverse the hopper and serve to control the needles therein as described in said prior Patent No. 1,625,691.

In the construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the electrical heating cartridge 7 in the form of a cylinder having a vertical axis is arranged directly beneath a needle-hopper 24 from which the needles are fed one at a time by a horizontally reciprocating slotted-slide 25 forming the hopper-bottom, being fed to a hammering station 25 where they are rotated by a friction driver 26 while being subjected to a succession of light blows. Attached to the upper end of the cartridge 7 is a cylindrical cap 7 preferably of copper or other good conducting metal, chromium plated or not, adapted to enter the base 27 of the hopper 24 beneath the slide 25. The lower end of the cartridge 7 is secured within a socket 28 formed in the upper end of a plunger 29 guided for vertical movement in a sleeve 30 attached to the machine frame 31, the lower end of the plunger 29 being formed with a notch 32 engaged by a manually operable lever 33 manipulation of which effects rising and falling movements of the cartridge, it being understood that, to prevent over heating of the needles in the hopper 24 when the machine is stopped, the lever 33 is operated in opposition to a blade spring 34 to lower the cartridge away from the base of the hopper.

35, 36 denote spring-detcnts engageable with the lever 33 in the operative and inoperative positions,

In this construction the entire needle-hopper 24 and the needles therein are maintained at a substantially constanttemperature,while the machine is in operation, the blade of each needle as the needle is ejected by the slide being traversed over the upper end face of the cap 7 whence it receives extra heat prior to the hammering operation.

The embodiment shown in 13 includes a pair of conveyor screws 1, 2 which convey the needles in the direction indicated by the arrow B from a feeding station past a heater 6 similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1-7, there being situated beyond the the needles respectively, of the cartridge.

heater 6 a hammering station including an I anvil 37 located in the path of the needle receiving pocket 52 erative is positioned blades, which may be faced'with rubber, on

Wlth reference to Figs. 17, it being understood that, as the needle blades traverse the anvil, their eccentricity will. be easily observed by the operative who will momentarily stop the conveyor while the bladeof a defective needle is over the anvil and effect by means of a hand hammer the necessary correction of the needle blade.

In the construction shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16 the heating cartridge 7 is located in a cylindrical pocket formed in one end of a steel anvil 51 adjacent to the conveyor screw 2, there being formed in the other end of said anvil 51 a second cylindrical cartridgewhich enables the anvil to be reversed in relation to the screws 1, 2 when that part of the anvil adjacent to the screw 2 becomes worn by the impact of the hammer. As shown best in Fig. 16 there are formed in the upper face of the anvil a pair of parallel longitudinal grooves 53 of which the groove adjacent to the screw 2 is located under the blades of the needles traversing the anvil and serves as a hammering depression, the blows of the hammer being applied to that portion of the blade of each needle bridging said groove. As is understood, the groove 53 remote from the screw 2 will come into use when the anvil is reversed. A plurality of grooves such as 53 may be formed in the upper surface of the anvil so that said surface presents a corrugated or fluted aspect. The anvil is detachably mounted on a holder 54 which is vertically adjustable by manipulation of a screw 55 whereby to bring the upper face of the anvil to the correct level. The screws 1, 2 convey the needles in the direction indicated by the arrow E past the anvil 51, it being understood the conveyor is momentarily stopped while each needle in turn is hammered.

The temperature of the heater may be between 300 degrees Fahrenheit and 800 degrees Fahrenheit, whereby the needles to be hammered are raised to a temperature of about 250 degrees to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

IVhat we claim is 1. The improvement in the art of straight ening tempered needles by hammering cons1sting in conveying the needles to a hammering station, heating the needles to a degree not materially affecting the temper thereof, and hammering them while hot.

2. The improvement in the art of straightening tempered needles the needle blades by conduction to a degree per'ed vneedles from a feeding -tempered needles from 'ening tempered needles by hammering .consisting in conveying the needles to a hammering station, heating the needles to a degree not materially affecting the "temper thereof on their Way to :the hammering station and hammering the needles while hot.

'3. The improvement in the art of straightening tempered needles consisting in simultaneously subjecting the needles to heating and hammering operations, theneedles being heated to adegree not materially affecting the temper thereof.

4. The improvement in the art of straightening tempered needles consisting in heating the needles to a temperature between about 250 Fahrenheit and 300 Fahrenheit, and hammering the needles atthis'temperature.

5. The improvement in the art of straightconsisting in heating not materially affecting the temper thereof and hammering the needle blades while hot. :6. In a machine for straightening temneedles by hammering, means for con .veying-the needles from a feeding station to a hammering station, and a needle-heatingdevice interposed adjacent :to the path of the needles between said feeding stationand said hammering station, said zneedle-heating device beingconstructed and so arranged with respect vtorthe travel of theconveyed needles that the needles are heated to a degree less than a temperature materially affecting the temper'of the needles.

.7. In a machine for straightening needles by hammering, means for conveying the needles from a feeding station toa'hammerting station, :and a needle heating device at said hammering station. V

8. In a machine for straightenlng needles 1 hammering, means for. conveying the station *to a hammering station, and a device for heating the needles'being conveyed, said'device contrived v to protect the points of the needles from overheating. l l

9. Ina needle-straightening machine, a needle-.hopper,'1neans serving to convey the said hopper to a hammering station, and a needle-heating device interposed adjacent to'the path ofthe needles between said hopper and said hammering station, said needle-heating device being constructed and so arranged with respect to the travel of the conveyed needles that theneedles "are heated to a degree less than a temperature materially affecting the temper of the needles.

,10. In a needle-straightening machine, a

needlehopper, means servingto convey the needles from said hopper to ahammering station, and a needle-heating device at said hammeringstation.

1 1. In a needle-straightening machine, a i-needle-hopper, means serving to convey a tempered needles from said hopper to a series of hammering stations, and a needleheating device interposed adjacent to the path of the needles between said hopper and any of said hammering stations, said needleheating device being constructed and so arranged with respect to the travel of the conveyed needles that the needles are heated to a degree less than a temperature materially affecting the temper of the needles.

12. In a needle-straightening machine, a needle-hopper, means serving to convey the needles from said hopper to a series of hammering stations, and a needle-heating device at any of said hammering stations.

13. In a needle-straightening machine, a screw-conveyor adapted to convey tempered needles from a feeding station to a hammering station, and a needle-heating device interposed adjacent to the path of the needles alongside said conveyor between said feeding station and said hammering station, said needle-heating device being constructed and so arranged with respect to the travel of the conveyed needles that the needles are heated to a degree less than a temperature materially affecting the temper of the needles.

14. In a multi-hammer needle-straightening machine, a screw-conveyor adapted to convey tempered needles from a feeding station to a series of hammering stations, and a needle-heating device including a heat-conducting casing interposed adjacent to the path of the needles alongside said conveyor in a position to be engaged by said needles between said feeding station and any of said hammering stations.

15. In a needle-straightening machine, a needle-hopper, a slide for conveying the needles from the interior of said hopper to a hammering station, and a needle-heating device located immediately beneath said slide and engageable by each needle as it is conveyed by said slide to said hammering station.

16. In a machine for straightening needles by hammering, a needle-conveyor for conveying the needles to a hammering station, and a needle-heating device normally located adjacent to the path of the needles but adapted to be displaced therefrom.

17. In a needle-straightening machine, a needle-hopper, a slide for conveying the needles from the interior of said hopper to a hammering station, and a needle-heating device normally located immediately beneath said slide and adapted to be displaced downwardly away from said slide.

18. In a needle-straightening machine, the combination with a conveyor for conveying tempered needles laterally to a hammering station, of a heater disposed alongside said conveyor in position to engage and conductively heat the blades of the needles being conveyed to a degree not materially affecting the temper of the needles. 1

19. In a machine for straightening needles by hammering, means for conveying the needles to a hammering station, and a heated casing traversed by the conveyed needles in contacting relation therewith.

20. In a machine for straightening needles by hammering, means for conveying the needles to a hammering station, and means for heating portions of the conveyed needles comprising a heated casing disposed in position to be engaged by the blades of the needles and provided with a needle-point clearance recess.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification.

WALTER JOSIAH RICKEY. WILLIAM TIVENDALE. 

